I am the Crown Prince of France

Chapter 146: Preparing for War

Leaf springs were already a well-established technology at the time, and Joseph had simply suggested a new way to use them. So, it didn't take long for him to finish explaining the technical details to the craftsmen.

As he left the carriage workshop, Joseph reminded his newly appointed workshop manager, "Mr. Laspina, your most important task now is to quickly recruit skilled craftsmen. It's okay to offer more money to poach them from other workshops if needed."

"Yes, Your Highness, I will do as you say," the manager from Parma replied, nodding cautiously.

Joseph continued, "Once the new leaf spring suspension is ready, our workshop will only focus on making the chassis. We'll order the carriage bodies from other workshops, using the most luxurious materials and fittings."

Laspina hesitated. "Your Highness, that will make the costs very high…"

"Don't worry about the costs. We'll have a high enough profit margin."

Joseph smiled and added, "Remember, every carriage must have 'Royal Certification' engraved on the body, and 'Same Chassis as the Royal Carriage' on the back. Make sure the word 'chassis' is in smaller letters."

Getting a "Royal Certification" was simple enough for Joseph—he just had to ask his mother. As for the "Same Chassis as the Royal Carriage," that would require sending one of the new carriages to his father, Louis XVI, for him to ride around in. Of course, only the chassis would be the same; if the entire carriage were identical, the court officials would certainly object.

"Next, we'll increase our advertising budget. I'll talk to the Paris Gazette to get you the best ad space. The Paris Fashion Week is coming up soon, and you need to seize this opportunity to make our carriages the latest trend among the nobility."

Joseph was confident about the sales prospects for the new carriages.

His design, based on modern small-truck suspension systems, offered comfort comparable to the current spring suspensions but at only a tenth of the cost. This allowed more money to be spent on making the carriage body more luxurious, and even then, the overall cost was still lower than that of spring-suspension carriages, meaning they could be sold at a lower price.

Currently, only the wealthiest people could afford carriages with spring suspensions, which were the epitome of luxury, akin to modern-day Maybachs or Porsches.

Joseph planned to price the new carriages at about 60% of what spring-suspension carriages cost, bringing them down to the level of modern luxury brands like Mercedes-Benz and BMW. Those who couldn't afford the ultra-luxury models would likely flock to buy this "Royal Certified" carriage, which would look even more opulent and offer similar comfort.

Joseph's only concern was whether the workshop could meet the demand.

If they couldn't keep up with orders, he might consider licensing the patent to other workshops for a fee. Unlike the brewing technology, where he charged a mere 3% royalty to encourage farmers to grow potatoes, the carriage business was purely commercial, and a patent fee of at least 30% would be more appropriate.

…

The next day, in the eastern wing of the Palace of Versailles, the cabinet meeting was proceeding as usual.

"Is that all?" Queen Marie handed the document appointing Talleyrand as a senior diplomatic advisor back to Brienne, having already signed her name.

Brienne quickly nodded respectfully. "Yes, thank you, Your Majesty."

The other ministers weren't too concerned about Talleyrand. After all, a diplomatic advisor wasn't a particularly important position, so Brienne's proposal was swiftly approved.

After putting away the appointment document, Brienne signaled for his assistant to distribute copies of Empress Catherine II's letter to everyone present.

Although it was a letter, its content was essentially diplomatic correspondence and not something that needed to be kept secret.

Brienne explained, "This current Russo-Turkish War began last year when the Ottoman Empire demanded that Russia return Crimea and then attacked Russian warships.

"The situation now is that the Ottoman forces have made several attempts to assault the port of Kinburn but have been repelled by the Russian army. Most notably, at the end of last year, Suvorov's corps nearly annihilated the main Ottoman forces, halting their advance. The Russians are now massing troops and warships."

Foreign Minister Vergennes, who had just returned from Russia, added, "From what I heard in St. Petersburg, the Empress is determined to seize Ochakov."

Ochakov was a strategic point between Russia and the Ottoman Empire. Anyone looking to attack the other side would have to pass through there. It was also a key naval base overlooking the Black Sea.

Brienne continued, "At present, it seems Austria is likely to support Russia and may even send troops to attack the Ottomans, while Sweden appears to be mobilizing its forces, possibly to assist the Ottomans by attacking Russia from the north."

Queen Marie frowned slightly, as if speaking to herself, "So, what now?"

"Your Majesty, although Sultan Abdul Hamid I has reformed the Ottoman army and made significant preparations, it appears that Russia still holds the upper hand," Brienne quickly explained. "And the attitude in St. Petersburg shows they are eager for our support in their fight against the Ottomans. They should be willing to offer us some benefits in return."

Abdul Hamid I was the current Sultan of the Ottoman Empire.

Brienne exchanged a glance with Joseph and added, "If we were to intervene in this conflict, now would be an opportune moment."

The Queen seemed puzzled. "But our army would have to cross Austria and travel four thousand miles just to reach Crimea."

Joseph interjected, "Your Majesty, we don't need to go to Crimea. Just as Sweden can support its ally from Russia's northern front, we can take action on the western side of the Ottoman Empire."

"Prince Joseph is right," Brienne agreed. "All we need to do is project power in the Mediterranean, and that would greatly strain the Ottoman defenses."

The Navy Minister, hearing that there might be action in the Mediterranean, immediately perked up. "I agree with Archbishop Brienne. If we just sail around the Gulf of Sidra, we could earn Russia's gratitude with minimal effort. Strategically, it would be a great move."

Joseph sighed inwardly. What was the minister thinking? Where would the funds come from for such a show of force around the Ottoman Empire? Wouldn't it be more practical to gain real benefits closer to home, like around the Barbary Coast?

The Gulf of Sidra was in the southeastern Mediterranean, near the southern coast of the Ottoman Empire. While it was strategically important, it was far from France. France wasn't in a position to actually attack the Ottoman heartland—it would only be helping Russia at great cost.

The Barbary Coast, on the other hand, was in the central-western Mediterranean, near the southern coast of France, and bordered North Africa. This was where France's interests lay.

He quickly spoke up. "Marquis de Castries, our target this time should be the Ottoman naval forces in the western Mediterranean."

"The Ottoman navy in the western Mediterranean..." The Navy Minister took a couple of seconds to process this. "You mean the Barbary pirates?"

"Exactly," Joseph confirmed. "And their naval bases."

(End of Chapter)

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